Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are poised to secure "what they always wanted" during their upcoming five-day trip to the United Kingdom, as their original royal exit agreement undergoes a significant renegotiation, commentators have claimed. The Duke of Sussex is expected to be joined by the Duchess of Sussex and possibly their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for the visit marking the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham. The trip has ignited intense debate over the motives behind the return and how the Sussexes might benefit from a reunion with the Royal Family.
Low-Key Visit with Family Focus
Alison Boshoff, the Daily Mail's Editor at Large, citing a friend of the Duke, said Harry's imminent UK visit will be low-key and family-focused, in addition to official Invictus events. She contrasted this with the Sussexes' recent trip to Australia, which she described as "so bad" and a clear demonstration of why the late Queen was right to reject Harry and Meghan's initial proposal to be half in and half out of the royal family. That proposal, discussed at the Sandringham summit on January 13, 2020, would have allowed the couple to pursue their own commercial ventures while also representing the monarch. It was ultimately rejected by the late Queen, leading to the couple stepping back as senior working royals.
New Arrangement for Quasi-Royal Work
Ms Boshoff told The Royalist podcast that her source indicated a new arrangement is emerging. Under this, Harry will be permitted to carry out his "quasi-royal" work and commercial activities in the US and elsewhere globally. However, in the UK, he will have to "play with a straight bat." This means no promotion of Meghan's As Ever products in the UK, nor any attempt to leverage royal connections for commercial gain, such as bringing a pot of her jam to King Charles and then publicising it to boost her brand.
Ms Boshoff added: "In those circumstances, he gets to come back and be part of the Royal Family and be what he always said he was... 'I'm a working royal'. So he gets what he always wanted."
Comprehensive Renegotiation of Sandringham Summit
Podcast host Tom Sykes suggested that Harry had "won" and that King Charles had "rolled over" by agreeing to a "comprehensive renegotiation" of the Sandringham summit agreement. The original Sandringham summit, which involved the late Queen, Prince William, Charles, and Harry, resulted in a statement from Buckingham Palace that stepping away from the Royal Family meant it would not be possible for Harry and Meghan to "continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service."
On the question of whether the Duchess of Sussex would join Harry, Sykes claimed: "In some shape or form it will happen because I think Meghan is absolutely desperate to have proximity to the Royal Family to juice her brand again." He asserted that the trip ultimately signals the end of the Sandringham summit agreement.
Working on Comeback Since January
Ms Boshoff said it was clear the Sussexes have been working on their comeback for a while, citing her source who suggested it has been in the offing since January. She noted that Harry and the King's public pronouncements have been in "lock step" since around that time, including on issues such as Ukraine and antisemitism. The writer said: "My contact said Harry's been proving that he's grown up. He's proving that he can be trusted... [Harry and Meghan] have been working hand in glove with some people, who like them, in Charles's court and this is the result."
She concluded: "This is not just a visit. This is more. This is actually a reintroduction into the family and into the institution."
